Had a very strange phone call today and was wondering if anyone had a similar experience.
A guy rang up from what sounded like some sort of Bombay call centre claiming that he was from Microsoft Windows and that a computer on my phone line had been found to have downloaded a “malicious virus” (his words).
Because of the accent and the noise in the background, I thought he was telling me about a PC of mine they were repairing. As I didn’t have a PC being repaired I told him he probably had the wrong number but he rattled off my phone number so I knew that wasn’t the case.
He kept on going on about a virus and asked if I used anti-virus software, I do but I have several removable drives and two don’t run any anti-virus software at all. These are what I refer to as dirty drives which I use as test drives I therefore don’t use them for banking or anything else that might compromise my details so its possible one of these drives might have picked something up.
I told him that I would just reformat the infected drives, like I said they are only test drives and the reformat would only take about an hour, but he told me that the virus still stays on the drive after a reformat which sounded like a crock. I still couldn’t work out what he wanted so thanked him for his time and hung up.
I was telling a friend at work about the conversation and he asked;
1) How did they get my number as, like him, I always give a false number when registering products (sometimes I just get tired of the whole “give us all your details” routine)
2) I should have asked him to give me the name of the person he wanted, in case it was someone who was calling after simply generating the phone number for a scam and not knowing who they were calling
3) I should have asked for the name of the virus
4) I should have asked him to send me an e-mail regarding the virus, after all, if he had my phone number he should have my e-mail address…right?
5) Since when does Microsoft give a courtesy call telling people they had downloaded a virus
All in all it was a VERY strange call and I’d be interested in knowing if anyone else had had a similar experience

Microsoft doesn't care.
THis is obviously a fake.

this has never happened to me, and I think it probably was a scam. why would Microsoft care if you got a virus? He was probably wanting to try to get you to download an 'antivirus' thats actually has a virus hidden in it.

Originally Posted by Mary_nicole831

why would Microsoft care if you got a virus? He was probably wanting to try to get you to download an 'antivirus' thats actually has a virus hidden in it.

The strange thing was that he didn't try to offer a solution or ask me to download anything, which I would expect if it was a scam. Due to the general strangeness of the call I'm starting to feel it most probably was a scam and the only thing that saved me was the fact that I could hardly understand what he was on about and therefore hung up.

he probably tried to get you to do something and you missed it. hehe.
Ignorance IS power sometimes!

It WAS a scam ...

Microsoft does NOT place phone calls to individuals about viruses ... they place virus check programs on their update site and when you update, if there is a virus they are checking for and it is on your system, they will tell you how to get rid of it OR they will have a routine that does it automatically for you.

Either way, they NEVER call you.

Maybe those Nigerian scammers are outsourcing to India now. Why not? Everyone else seems to be.

Hi,

He was probably trying to sell you AMC or Trying to sell their all new MaleWare Bytes Software and wated to install is via remote access.

Once your number is on their feed expect more calls at regular intervals . as after a while their repeat their feeds with other programs.

Though Microsoft Call Center is in India , If you have not opened an incident ticket for Support with Microsoft, they do not contact you.

Microsoft Online Safety Fraud prevention : http://www.microsoft.com/protect/fraud/default.aspx
Phone Call From Someone claiming I have a Virus : http://social.answers.microsoft.com/...8-0079764bb001

Thanks for the links SwordFish_13, was reading through one of the letters and it started off pretty much the same as my phone call. I then saw this response;

Hi MrBoo

I regret to say that I was one of the stupid, nieve, egg-headed, no mind, fool who fell for that phone call. The man on the phone claimed to be a Microsoft technician and asked me if I was online and if so was my computer performing slowly. I wasn't online right at that moment but was noticing earlier that day that my computer was moving like a snail. He then told me to turn the computer back on and we will time how long it takes to startup. By now my stupid computer was, of course, starting up extremley slow. He indicated that my computer was infected. He then instructed me to go to the device manager to view the Event Viewer to verify that if there were more than 5 or 6 Errors in the log, it was a positive infection. Anyways, I'm trying to make a long story short, he had me go to a website and type in a work order code and advised me that a Microsoft tech was going to fix and rid of the virus by remote. Well, all of a sudden, the technician had total control of my computer, changing all my personal settings and disabling stuff. I was p***ed!!!!!!! (Sorry about the language) Immediately, I was trying to tell the guy that I didnt like what was going on and wanted more information. He was telling me not to be afraid and that everyone was downloading their 'MaleWare Bytes' software. My most dummest moment caused my computer to get a virus from them. Took about 4 days to restore my computer back to my settings and perform a systems restore to factory settings. I later learned that thousands of people who live here in Las Vegas had their computer infected and money taken from their bank accounts. Good thing that I don't have a whole lot of money.

The guy who phoned asked me if my computer was on and the modem hooked up, I lied and told him it was off and he continued on about his speal about this virus which is when I lost interest and hung up.
I don't know if it will do any good but I bought a copy of a programe that hides your IP address and Internet provider by providing false info to anyone looking, if it works fine and if it doesn't....well at least I can access Hulu.com

Originally Posted by Mr KillKill

Thanks for the links SwordFish_13, was reading through one of the letters and it started off pretty much the same as my phone call. I then saw this response;

The guy who phoned asked me if my computer was on and the modem hooked up, I lied and told him it was off and he continued on about his speal about this virus which is when I lost interest and hung up.
I don't know if it will do any good but I bought a copy of a programe that hides your IP address and Internet provider by providing false info to anyone looking, if it works fine and if it doesn't....well at least I can access Hulu.com

Hi Kill2,

These guys have no way of knowing you IP address and Internet provider. All they have is your Phone / Name / Address they get form some public Directory or they buy from other sources .. Trouble starts when you Search for the Site they tell you ( which is a remote access Site ) and ask you to put a code ( authorization Code to access you Computer ).

Generally all use the same Modus operandi , so everyone would have almost the same Experiences .. See these guys are not hackers or teches but chaps working in small call centers and reading a script handed over to them .

Step 1 : Scare you .. By showing errors in your Even Log Which is Normal Or by making you believe you Computer is booting very slow ( which by the way you have always been cribbing about already.. we all crib about our computer running slow ) . Till this time he does no have access to your Computer. once the scare tactic works , they had over to their Supervisors. and they start with Step 2

Step 2: Get you to Visit a Web Site that downloads a remote access software... Generally these software ask for a Code .. which they would try to sell you as a promotional code. once you enter the code .. the Bloke gets access to you computer ...

Step 3: Either they try to sell you some AV or Anti Spy ware in the mean time install a malware possibly a backdoor or a key-logger.

Don't be scared these are not Super hackers who keeps scanning the Internet for possible Soft target and can hack into your computer just by calling you .... but People working in small time call centers , these call centers run Telephone numbers feeds they buy and the agents randomly gets a number in front of his screen and starts his script.. if you survive the STEP 1 you are safe.

Peace
-=SF_13=-